In what could emerge as a pioneering collaborative platform for applied sciences in India, SRM University-AP, Amaravati, in association with the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE), has launched the UNITES Global Innovation Society – United Network for Sustainable Development Solutions.
The new society aims to address complex societal challenges through collaborative research, innovation, scientific exchange and public engagement, while also strengthening science communication and education. The central philosophy of UNITES is “problems first, disciplines second”. The society seeks to bring together expertise according to the nature of a challenge rather than confining collaboration within traditional disciplinary boundaries.
The Centre for Interdisciplinary Research (CIDR), SRM University-AP, will serve as the Founding and Host Institution of UNITES. The society is envisioned as a sustained platform bringing together researchers, academics, students, industry and other stakeholders around challenges that require interdisciplinary solutions. Prof. Achanta Venu Gopal, Director, CSIR–National Physical Laboratory, has been appointed its founding president.
The national launch of the society was announced at a special convening of its founding executive in Vijayawada on September 19 where Prof. Sarangam Vijaya Bhaskara Rao, Chairman-in-Charge, APSCHE, was the Chief Guest.
UNITES 2026 and VIGYAN SETU
At the launch, UNITES also announced its first major event, UNITES 2026 – Uniting Interdisciplinary Trends in Emerging Science, to be held from December 27–29, 2026, at SRM University-AP, Amaravati. The event will focus on the theme “Physics at the Interfaces of Matter, Light and Life.”
The three-day gathering will also feature VIGYAN SETU – National Science & Technology Expo, designed to connect students, teachers and the wider public with scientific research, emerging technologies and hands-on demonstrations. Around 10,000 students are expected to visit the scientific displays and models at the expo.
Welcoming the launch, Prof. Ch Satish Kumar, Vice-Chancellor, SRM University-AP, who is also an executive member of UNITES, said that while the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasises a multidisciplinary approach to education, its implementation on the ground remains a challenge.
“Our effort is to provide a platform for the convergence of sciences with the objective of addressing a plethora of complex problems in communities that need scientific solutions. Societal problems do not exist in silos, and neither should our solutions. UNITES seeks to break academic boundaries and bring diverse minds together to create meaningful solutions for society.”
Dr Kiran Mangalampalli, Associate Professor, CIDR and Founding General Secretary of UNITES Global Innovation Society, said the society would create an ecosystem spanning research and innovation, education and capacity building, sustainability and societal impact, policy and public engagement, entrepreneurship and technology transfer, as well as global partnerships.
Describing UNITES as a national initiative open to a broad membership, he said:
“UNITES aims to create a challenge-oriented scientific ecosystem where researchers can find collaborators, emerging technologies can progress towards application, and scientific innovations can ultimately reach society.”
Connecting science with society
Addressing the gathering, Prof. Sarangam Vijaya Bhaskara Rao stressed the need to encourage students to take up science and strengthen the links between scientific research, higher education and society. He emphasised the importance of nurturing curiosity among students and making science outreach a key area of focus.
In his keynote address, Prof. Vijayamohanan Kunjukrishna Pillai, former Director, CSIR-CECRI and Emeritus Professor, IISER Thiruvananthapuram, observed that scientific knowledge is largely fragmented and compartmentalised along disciplinary lines, while the problems confronting humanity are not.
He cited India’s goal of achieving Net Zero emissions by 2070 as an example of a challenge that requires knowledge and expertise cutting across conventional disciplinary boundaries. He also stressed the need to prepare the next generation to address such challenges and to strengthen students’ engagement with fundamental sciences.
Speakers at the event also highlighted the importance of developing indigenous technologies and creating stronger pathways between universities and industry. They stressed the need for models that enable industry to absorb scientific talent emerging from universities while providing students with clearer pathways to employment and technology-driven careers.
For SRM University-AP, the establishment of UNITES is part of its broader commitment to contributing to Amaravati’s emergence as a hub for education, research, technology and innovation. As the Founding and Host Institution, the university will support UNITES in developing long-term scientific networks and fostering global scientific collaborations and public engagement through joint research, researcher exchanges, scientific lectures, exhibitions, student programmes and hands-on outreach initiatives.
The launch was attended by scientists and academicians including Prof. Chilla Malla Reddy, IIT Hyderabad; Prof. Soma Venugopal Rao, University of Hyderabad; Dr Bhamidipati Ramakrishna, DMRL Hyderabad; Prof. Shobha Shukla, IIT Bombay; Prof. Abha Misra and Prof. Praveen Kumar, IISc Bengaluru; and Prof. C. V. Tomy, Professor and Dean, SEAS, SRM University-AP.
Members of the UNITES Society present included Prof. Ranjit Thapa, Vice-President; Dr Ravva Mahesh Kumar, Joint Secretary; and Dr Sabyasachi Mukhopadhyay, Treasurer, among others.
